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Number Systems

Natural numbers
The counting numbers 1, 2, 3 are called natural numbers. The set of natural
numbers is denoted by N.
N = {1, 2, 3, }

Whole numbers
If we include zero to the set of natural numbers, then we get the set of whole numbers.
The set of whole numbers is denoted by W.
W = {0, 1, 2, }

Integers
The collection of numbers 3, 2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 3 is called integers. This
collection is denoted by Z, or I.
Z = {, 3, 2, 1, 0, 1, 2, 3, }



Rational numbers
Rational numbers are those which can be expressed in the form
p
q
, where p, q are
integers and q = 0.
Example:
1 3 6
, , ,
2 4 9
etc.
Note:
1.
12 12 3 4
15 15 3 5

= =

, where the HCF of 4 and 5 is 1


12 4
and
15 5
are equivalent rational numbers (or fractions)
Thus, every rational number x can be expressed as
a
x
b
= , where a, b are integers
such that the HCF of a and b is 1 and b = 0.

2. Every natural number is a rational number.
3. Every whole number is a rational number.
[Since every whole number w can be expressed as
1
w
].
4. Every integer is a rational number.
There are infinitely many rational numbers between any two given rational numbers.

Example:



Find 5 rational numbers between
3
8
and
5
12
.

Solution:
3 3 3 9 9 6 54
8 8 3 24 24 6 144
5 5 2 10 10 6 60
12 12 2 24 24 6 144

= = = =


= = = =



It can be observed that:
54 55 56 57 58 59 60
144 144 144 144 144 144 144
3 55 7 19 29 59 5
8 144 18 48 72 144 12
< < < < < <
< < < < < <

55 7 19 29 59
Thus, , , , and are
144 18 48 72 144
5 rational numbers between
3
8
and
5
12
.

Irrational Numbers
Irrational numbers are those which cannot be expressed in the form
p
q
, where p, q
are integers and q = 0.
Example:
, 2, 7, 14, 0.0202202220...
There are infinitely many irrational numbers.
Note: t = 3.141592 is irrational. Its approximate value is assumed as
22
7
or as
3.14, both of which are rational.

Real Numbers
The collection of all rational numbers and irrational numbers is called real numbers.
So, a real number is either rational or irrational.
Note: Every real number can be represented by a unique point on the number line
(and vice versa).
So, the number line is also called the real number line.

Example:
Locate 6 on the number line.

Solution:
It is seen that:
( )
2
2
6 5 1 = +






To locate 6 on the number line, we first need to construct a length of 5 .
2
5 2 1 = +


By Pythagoras Theorem:
2 2 2 2 2
OB OA AB 2 1 4 1 5
OB 5
= + = + = + =
=


Steps:
(a) Mark O at 0 and A at 2 on the number line, and then draw AB of unit length
perpendicular to OA. Then, by Pythagoras Theorem, OB 5 =
(b) Construct BD of unit length perpendicular to OB. Thus, by Pythagoras
Theorem,
( )
2
2
OD 5 1 6 = + =
(c) Using a compass with centre O and radius OD, draw an arc intersecting the
number line at point P.
Thus, P corresponds to the number 6 .



Real numbers and their decimal expansions:
The decimal expansion of a rational number is either terminating or non-terminating
recurring (repeating). Moreover, a number whose decimal expansion is terminating
or non-terminating repeating is rational.

Example:
( )
( )
( )
( )
3
1.5 Terminating
2
15
1.875 Terminating
8
4
1.333....... 1.3 Non-terminating recurring
3
24
1.846153846153 1.846153 Non-terminating recurring
13
=
=
= =
= =





Example:
Show that 1.23434 . can be written in the form
p
q
, where p and q are integers
and q = 0.
Solution:
( ) Let 1.23434..... 1.234 1 x = =
Here, two digits are repeating.
Multiplying (1) by 100, we get:
100x = 123.43434
=122.2 + 1.23434 .. (2)
Subtracting (1) from (2), we get:
99 122.2
122.2 1222
99 990
611
495
611
Thus, 1.234 .
495
x
x
=
= =
=
=


The decimal expansion of an irrational number is non-terminating non-recurring.
Moreover, a number whose decimal expansion is non-terminating non- recurring is
irrational.

Example:
2.645751311064. is an irrational number

Representation of real numbers on the number line
Example: Visualize 3.32 on the number line, upto 4 decimal places.

Solution:
( )
3.32 3.3232......
3.3232 approximate upto 4 decimal place
=
=

Now, it is seen that 3 < 3.3232 < 4. Divide the gap between 3 and 4 on the number
line into 10 equal parts and locate 3.3232 between 3.3 and 3.4 [as 3.3 < 3.3232 <
3.4]. To locate the given number between 3.3 and 3.4 more accurately, we divide
this gap into 10 equal parts. It is seen that 3.32 < 3.3232 < 3.33.
We continue the same procedure by dividing the gap between 3.32 and 3.33 into 10
equal parts.
It is seen that 3.323 < 3.3232 < 3.324.
Now, by dividing the gap between 3.323 and 3.324 into 10 equal parts, we can
locate 3.3232.






Operation on real numbers
Some facts
(a) The sum or difference of a rational number and an irrational number is always
irrational.
(b) The product or quotient of a non-zero rational number with an irrational
number is always irrational.
(c) If we add, subtract, multiply or divide two irrational numbers, then the result
may be rational or irrational.
Illustrations
2 3 + is irrational
2 2 0 = is rational
3 5 15 = is irrational
2 2 2 = is rational

6
3
2
= is irrational
2
1
2
= is rational

Identities
If a and b are positive real numbers, then
(a) ab a b =

(b)
a a
b b
=




(c)
( )( )
2
a b a b a b + =

(d)
( )( )
2
a b a b a b + =

(e)
( )( )
a b c d ac ad bc bd + + = + + +

(f)
( )
2
2 a b a ab b + = + +

The denominator of
a b
x y
+
+
can be rationalised by multiplying both the
numerator and the denominator by x y , where a, b, x, y are integers.

The denominator of
a b
c d
+
+
can be rationalised by multiplying both the
numerator and the denominator by c d , where a, b, c, d are integers.

Laws of exponents

(a) .
p q p q
a a a
+
=

(b)
( )
q
p pq
a a =

(c)
p
p q
q
a
a
a

=

(d) ( )
p
p p
ab a b = , where a > 0 is a real number and p, q are rational numbers.
Note:
1
x
x
a a =

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